I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to redistribution reactions and in particular to a process for the disproportionation or redistribution of chlorosilane.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous methods and catalyst materials are known for the disproportionation of chlorosilane. For example, Union Carbide's U.S. Pat. No. 2,834,648 to Bailey et al discloses the use of various secondary and tertiary aliphatic amines, their salts and derivatives and certain heterocyclic amines. Bailey et al disclose a process for heating a chlorosilane having at least one hydrogen atom to about 150.degree.-200.degree. C. in an autoclave in the presence of, for example, cetyldimethylamine, trimethylamine hydrochloride, or pyridine. Various other types of catalysts for the chlorosilane disproportionation reaction have been proposed in batch reaction processes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,627,501 to Kruger discloses the use of certain catalysts in a bed through which trichlorosilane (SiHCl.sub.3) is passed and disproportionated to dichlorosilane (SiH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2) and silicon tetrachloride (SiCl.sub.4). The process of Kruger is conducted at about 150.degree.-250.degree. C. or higher with about a 5-10 mole percent conversion to SiH.sub.2 Cl.sub.2.
Union Carbide's U.S. Pat. No. 3,044,845 to Jex et al discloses the use of various pyridines in combination with a halohydrocarbon promoter so that the process may be carried out at less than 100.degree. C.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,845 to Litteral discloses a continuous process for disproportionation of chlorosilanes using a copolymer-based resin in a fixed bed.